Always and Forever
by JPM1978
Summary: Two Vice families are finally coming together for the marriage of their children, Miguel Castillo and Veronica "Roni" Tubbs. Nothing too serious here, just lots of fun and a few crazy antics for Miami Vice's next generation.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Alison and Miguel Castillo, Veronica "Roni" Tubbs, Ryan Rivera, Jake Ballard, Britt Wheeler and Jake Ballard all belong to RedRose85. Check out her stories!**

It was lunchtime, and since I had time between courtroom sessions, my fianceé Veronica Tubbs had met me at the cafeteria to go over last minute wedding plans. She had a gigantic binder laid out in front of her and methodically flipped through pages. She was so organized, and had spent a great deal of time putting everything together, from flowers, to our vows and everything in between. But sometimes I wished I had just whisked her away to Vegas. Even though I would never tell her, I was tired of looking at china patterns and debating the use of roses over hydrangeas. All I cared about was committing my life to her, spending a relaxing week in Cuba, and beginning our family together.

"…So Uncle Sonny is going to walk my mom down the aisle. And I paid the rest of the balance on the cake and the caterer yesterday, so that's done. And don't forget to pick up your tuxedo before the rehearsal dinner next Friday because you won't have time afterwards. Oh, and make sure Ryan, Billy, Eric and Ethan get theirs too. And could you email the DJ and let him know what song you want for the mother-son dance?"

I should have been listening to her, really, I should have. But in my head I was fantasizing about running my fingers through her hair, kissing her, perhaps taking her down to the basement to some abandoned file room… although we had been living together for the past two years, in these final weeks before the wedding I had been staying at my parent's house. The time apart was killing me. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" I asked, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her ear. It was as seductive as I could be in a courthouse cafeteria.

"Miguel…" she warned.

"Oh alright, alright, I'll get everything done, don't worry." I looked up at her with my sad, puppy eyes- the ones she can never resist. "Any chance I could come over tonight? I miss you."

"Aw babe, I miss you too! But I'm going with Ali and my mom and grandma for my final dress fitting tonight. Just think, this time apart will make our honeymoon all the more special! Not to mention our wedding night! Besides, Grandma Tubbs is getting older and she-"

"She hates me." I interrupted, grumbling.

Roni took my hand in hers, and tried to be reassuring. "She does not _hate_ you, Miguel! She's just very… traditional. She doesn't think a man and woman should live together before marriage."

I scowled. "So you think she likes me? Is that why she's always trying to introduce you to the grandson of that friend of hers from church? The one who's a doctor?"

She raised an eyebrow with interest. "Myrtle's grandson is a _doctor_?" When my face fell, she grinned. "I'm teasing, sweetie! Relax! She just needs to get to know you better. Besides, in ten days we'll all be family and she won't have a choice!" Roni hurriedly glanced at her phone, slammed her binder shut, then kissed me. "I gotta get back to the office. See you here tomorrow for lunch again?"

"You bet, love. Call me tonight?"

We kissed one last time and she hurried off. Meanwhile, I sulked, staring at my bowl of soup, stirring it absentmindedly.

"Hey, big bro!"

I looked up to see my sister, Alison along with her boss and lifelong friend, Lieutenant Billy Crockett and her fiancé Ryan Rivera. They set their trays on my table and took their seats.

Ryan studied me. "You know Miguel, for a guy who's getting married in ten days, you sure look down."

"Aw, he's just ticked off because Roni kicked him out of their apartment until the wedding and now he's stuck back at home with Mom and Dad," Ali explained.

Billy nodded. "Ah, I get it. You're mad because you have to spend your romantic evenings alone with your laptop?"

"Billy, you are so gross!" Ali exclaimed, laughing.

"It's not funny, Ali! And for all of your information, she did not kick me out. It was a mutually agreed upon arrangement," I added with confidence.

Billy snorted. "Yeah right! 'Mutually agreed upon' my foot. You mean she told you how it was going to go and you went along with it. Welcome to married life, pal!"

"Hilarious, Billy," I replied sarcastically. I had grown up around Billy Crockett, and since he was twelve years older than I, he was often the big brother I never had- for better or worse.

"Does her grandma still hate you?" Ali asked.

"She does not hate me!" I replied defensively, a but louder than I had intended. "She's just traditional."

Again, Billy snorted, trying to hide a laugh, and Ali nudged him with her elbow.

Ryan, who was sitting beside me, put his arm around my shoulders. "You know what you need, buddy? You should really have a-"

"The next words out of your mouth had better not be 'bachelor' and 'party', Rivera." I warned, interrupting him. "I already said no way to that! I respect Veronica way too much to spend a night leering at naked women days before our wedding." I had used that as an excuse, but truth be told I always felt like a fish out of water at the clubs and bars Ali and Ryan frequented.

Ali rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Mig. Loosen up! The girls and I are taking Roni to see some strippers, and I'd better not hear a word about it from you. Go out! Have fun! It's what Roni would want, and besides, it'll take your mind off of being lonely."

Ryan held up his hands. "Okay, so we won't call it a bachelor party. How about you and me just spend tomorrow night out on the town? Nothing major, just two young studs relaxing and having a good time and a few drinks. What d'ya say?"

I turned to face my sister, whose eyes were encouraging me to say yes. "C'mon big brother, you really want to spend your last Friday night as a single guy watching the History Channel with Dad?"

I sighed deeply. I knew my sister well enough to understand that when she got something in her head, there was no giving up. "Oh, fine. I guess I'll…"

Ryan jumped up from his seat to take his tray to the trash and didn't let me finish my thought. "Great! I'll pick you up at eight then. You won't regret it, Mikey!"

I sighed. Oh well, maybe Ali was right. It was just one night. After all, Ryan was my closest friend and future brother in law. I'd have a drink or two with him, nothing too much to leave me hung over the next day, and Ali would leave me alone. Nothing crazy, nothing to regret!


	2. Chapter 2

_July 2008_

 _"Ali, watch out! The speed limit is 35!" Frantically, I gripped the armrest in Ali's red Pontiac Firebird._

 _She rolled her eyes. "Would you relax? I'm going 38!"_

 _"Hands at 10 and 2, Alison! And could you music a little quieter?"_

 _"Could you be annoying a little quieter?"_

 _"If you get in an accident, Mom and Dad are never going to let you drive again. And furthermore…"_

 _"Blah blah blah blah… that's all I ever hear from you Miguel! I swear, next time your car is in the shop, you can take the bus!"_

 _I stomped my for on in imaginary brake on the floor. "Ali, slow down!"_

 _"Are you kidding? I think we just got passed by a street sweeper! Uncle Sonny says I'm an excellent driver, so I don't know what your problem is!"_

 _"Ali, look out!"_

 _The next few moments were almost in slow motion. Ali's foot slammed on the brake just as a blurred figure of a man flew in front of the car, hitting the windshield with a thud, and rolled off the hood._

 _The car lurched to a stop, Ali and I sitting in stunned silence side by side. A siren blared in the far-off distance._

 _"What the hell was that?" I was frantic, and breathless._

 _"I- I don't know!" Ali stammered, her eyes welling with tears. "Miguel, what do we do?" She was scared, really scared, something I wasn't used to seeing in my tough, sister with her take-no-shit attitude._

 _I grasped her hand in mine. "We've gotta go out and check on- whoever that was." My own heart was pounding, but I couldn't show it, not with Ali relying on me. I opened my door and began to step out, and Ali followed my lead. Peeking around the front of the car, I saw a man huddled up. He was moaning in pain, but at least he wasn't dead. For now, at least._

 _"Call 911!" I shouted to Ali." I knelt beside him as a million thoughts ran through my mind. Could I remember that CPR class I took last year? Was it 15 compressions and 2 breaths? Or 2 compressions and 15 breaths? No, that wasn't right. Should I take the blame and say I was driving? After all, I felt I had to protect Ali._

 _Right on cue, Ali appeared at my side and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Ambulance is on their way, they said to keep him still. Is he conscious?"_

 _I turned to the man. He was laying on his side, with one leg twisted in an unnatural fashion. His face was obscured by his left arm which was scraped. Finally, I drew up the courage to speak to him. "Hey, can you hear me?"_

 _The man stirred a little . His left arm moved a bit to reveal his face, bloodied by the road and full of rage. "I've gotta get out of here…" he growled._

 _"You really need to stay still until help gets here. You could have hurt your spine or something!" I was no doctor, but I had seen enough medical dramas to know that much._

 _The man's eyes seemed to glow with fury. He spoke to me through gritted teeth in a voice that made my blood run cold. "I've got way too much riding on this. I'll be damned if I let some annoying little leprechaun and his midget sister ruin this for me!"_

 _"Wait… what?" What in heaven's name was this guy talking about? And where did he get off calling me names?_

 _Ali's fear quickly melted into rage. "Who are you calling a midget? And you did not just insult my brother! Don't forget you ran in front of me!"_

 _The sirens in the distance got closer and closer and with a painful grunt, the man rose to his feet and started down the road. "Hey! Hey, get back here! Ali, what should we…"_

 _My pleas were cut off by a nondescript black car skidding to a stop beside me. The driver's side door blew open and Billy Crockett leapt out._

 _"Billy!" Ali screeched in delight and relief. "Thank God you're here! This guy jumped in front of my car and…"_

 _Billy was out of breath and harried. "No time to talk kids! This guy's a big time dealer. I've been after this guy for weeks and now I've got him." In one smooth motion, Billy slammed the car door shut and withdrew his revolver. He took off running after the guy, who although hurt, had managed to limp into the distance. He must have heard Billy because he turned around and fired twice in our direction. I pulled Ali to the ground, covering her with my own body._

 _Now Ali was small, but she was quick and wiry. I saw a determined look come over her face. In a flash, she shoved me aside. I tried to pull her back but she managed to dodge. She dashed off, passing Billy and tackling the man to the ground._

 _"Ali, stop!" I cried scrambling to my feet, but Ali didn't hear._

 _"You think you can just shoot at my family, and mess up the paint job on my car? Think again, pal!"_

 _"Alison Elena Castillo, just what the hell do you think you're doing, taking down an armed drug dealer?" Billy reprimanded and he took over to cuff the shocked, struggling suspect, but there was a hint of something in his voice… awe? Pride? Either way, I knew I was feeling pure awe. My whole life I had felt an intense need to protect my sister. But now? It was almost like she was the one protecting me. The way she ran after that guy, her fearlessness… could it be that she'd follow in my parent's footsteps?_

Present Time

So many years, so many memories. My sister sure could drive me nuts as a kid. She was hard headed, independent and stubborn, and it all made her who she is today: fiercely strong and one hell of a cop. I wouldn't have it any other way.

The doorbell shook me out of my daydream. It was Friday night, and in just one week Roni and I would be at our wedding rehearsal, and finally we would be husband and wife. But for now, I was still at my parent's house opening the front door for Ryan Rivera.

"Hey Buddy! You ready to live it up?" He stepped in the entryway and closed the door behind himself.

"Ready as I'll every be." I grabbed my cereal bowl off the coffee table and brought it to the kitchen sink. Ryan eyed me critically.

"What's that?"

"This? Oh I was just having a little dinner before we go."

Ryan laughed. "Mig, that's not dinner, that looks like Lucky Charms."

"Yeah well, Roni doesn't let me eat that when I'm at home. She always buys some organic vegan high fiber stuff. Tastes like sawdust and it doesn't really agree with my stomach. Sometimes it makes me…"

Ryan made a face and put an arm around my shoulder and laughed. "TMI, buddy… too much information! Anyway, let's get a move on! There's much more to celebrating the end of your single years than eating a bowl full of marshmallows!" He handed me my coat and pushed me out the door.

"That's what Im afraid of," I grumbled under my breath.


	3. Chapter 3

Ryan raised his glass, and his voice, to be heard over the din of the crowded bar. "To Roni! For having to spend the rest of her life putting up with this guy!"

Eric, Ethan, and Billy laughed and raised their own glasses. and I laughed along with them. Although hanging out at a strip club in the red light district was not my first choice of how to spend my Friday night, it was nice to be out of my parents' place.

Just as I started to get comfortable, one of the girls grabbed Billy's tie and sat in his lap. Ethan and Ryan hooted and applauded, and I just wanted to laugh again. Was this really supposed to be sexy? Why was I celebrating promising the rest of my life to Roni by watching some naked stranger?

Eric slapped me on the back. "We sure have come a long way, haven't we buddy?"

Eric was right, we had come a long way. It felt like just yesterday we were kids hanging out at the park…

 **June 1997**

 _Clink! Jake's bat made contact with the baseball, sending it flying up in the the air. It seemed to pause right above me at first base before beginning its descent._

 _"Get it Mig!" Eric called from the pitcher's mound._

"I got this!" _I thought to myself, squinting in the blinding sunlight. My dad and I had been working on catching fly balls all weekend and now was my chance. Even better, I was going to have the opportunity to get Jake Ballard out. Jake always thought he was so big just because he was a year older. I turned my wrist and got into a good stance, lining my mitt up with the falling ball. "I got it! I got it! I…"_

 _All of a sudden, I saw Jake inches from me, about to collide. Before I could react, I felt as though I had been plowed into by a truck, knocking me into the dusty ground. We both stood and dusted off. A scrape stung my arm, but I barely had time to notice with Jake looming over me angrily._

 _"What's the big idea, Castillo? You can't catch a fly ball so you push me down?"_

 _I crossed my arms and glared up at him defiantly. "I didn't push you, Jake._ You _ran into_ me _!"_

 _"I did not!"_

 _Jake's two brainless friends, Brandon and Todd, came running over from the dugout. It was as though they could smell a good fight a mile away and couldn't resist getting in the middle of it._

 _"He sure did push you, Jake, I saw it with my own eyes!" Brandon announced, smirking at me._

 _"Yeah! Lets see how he likes it!" Todd laughed, shoving me backward, causing me to lose my balance._

 _Hurried footsteps behind me let me know Eric was at my side. "Hey, leave him alone! Pick on someone your own size!"_

 _"Mind your own business, pee-wee!" Todd gave Eric a harder shove, knocking him to the ground._

 _Brandon ignored Eric and Todd. "Why don't you go running home to your mommy, Castillo? Losers like you aren't supposed to play sports. Go play your dumb violin or whatever other nerdy baby stuff you do!"_

 _"Yeah, you're such a weirdo, just like your dad!" Jake smiled with satisfaction._

 _"Yeah, his dad really is a weirdo! Remember that crazy stare he gave us when we skateboarded on their lawn?" Brandon asked, causing Jake to laugh hysterically._

 _"What a psycho! And you're just like him, Miguel… a weird, silent know it all!" Todd agreed, giving Eric another shove as he tried to stand._

 _His words hit me like a punch in the gut. My dad? A weirdo? I had never heard anyone speak about my father with anything but respect. I knew he was a great cop, and more than that, he was my idol. My eyes stung with tears. I wanted to punch Jake, to hurt him as much as his words hurt me. But I stayed frozen. Frozen and ashamed while Jake and his friends laughed like hyenas._

 _Just then, something grabbed Jake by the back of his collar, pulling him back and momentarily choking him._

 _"You leave my brother alone! And don't you dare talk about my dad that way!" An angry voice screeched, and I recognized it right away._

 _Ali._

 _"Get off me, you tiny terror!" Jake cried, Ali's nails digging into his back. He moved around like he was doing some sort of crazy dance, trying to shake Ali off. I struggled not to laugh at the sight. Finally, Jake managed to shake her free and grabbed tightly her by the wrist. "You need your baby sister to fight your battles, Castillo? Well, I'll…"_

 _Just as I was about to jump in, Jake let our a sharp, painful scream. Ali had sunk her sharp little teeth into his hand. Jake released Ali and stared at his hand as a red, painful mark began to form. Tears of pain welled up in his eyes as he stared angrily at me. "Let's get outta here! You two are in such big trouble… I'm telling my mom!" He ran off, followed by a terrified-looking Brandon and Todd._

 _"Wow Ali, that was incredible!" Eric was in awe ad Ali beamed with pride._

 _"I'm not gonna let those guys push my brother around!" Ali proclaimed._

 _"Yeah, well, I could have handled those guys myself," I mumbled._

 _Ali threw her arms around me. "I know, big brother! We both look out for each other!"_

 **Present Day**

I smiled at the memory of all those years ago. Billy was right, we had grown a lot, but Ali was right that day, we still looked out for one another. But damnit, I had failed her ten years ago when it really counted- the night she was attacked by Esteban Calderone. I tried to shake the memory, God knows Ali would smack me and roll her eyes if she knew I were thinking about that tonight. Maybe alcohol was the answer. While Ryan, Ethan, Billy and Eric were occupied with the stripper, I slipped away to the bar to grab another drink.

"What can I get ya, pal?"

"Cuba Libre please."

The bartender had his back to me as he neatly stacked glasses in front of a mirror behind the bar, but he quickly spun around. When he looked up, his eyes met mine and I recognized him as soon as he recognized me. "Miguel? Miguel Castillo?"

"Jake Ballard?" I asked in disbelief.

"How the hell have you been man, what you been up to?"

Even after ten years, I was still wary of Jake. Time seemed to mean nothing- as soon as I saw Jake I felt I was no longer Miguel Castillo, Assistant District Attorney. I was back to being some sixteen year old nerd that the football players liked to push around. I eyed him with suspicion as he poured rum into a glass and stirred it around. "I'm good Jake. I'm working for Miami Dade County in the DA's office. How about you? Last I heard you were off to the University Georgia on a football scholarship."

His face fell. "My football scholarship kinda fell through after I busted my knee. I ended up dropping out, and, well, the rest is history." I sensed some deep regret in his voice. "Surprised I haven't seen you in this place before!"

"Well, I'm not really into strip clubs. But those guys insisted on having little bachelor party for me." I indicated the table in the back where Ryan, Ethan, Billy and Eric were still being rowdy and cheering for the woman dancing on the table.

Jake raised an eyebrow as he set the drink in front of me. "You're getting married?"

"Yeah, next week. Roni and I are finally tying the knot!" I replied proudly.

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Man, you're a lawyer _and_ marrying Veronica Tubbs? You are one lucky guy!" He resumed wiping the wooden bar top with a rag. "Always knew you'd do well, you and Ali. You know Miguel, all these years I've wanted to tell you that I'm real sorry. You and Ali never deserved the way Alicia and I treated you both."

I was shocked. Was Jake really apologizing to me? All those years of throwing my glasses in the girl's locker room, the sprained wrist, calling my sister and I every name in the book… could Jake really feel remorse? I tried to push it aside. "Don't worry about it, that was a long time ago. Water under the bridge and all."

Jake leaned against the bar. "No, I mean it, Miguel. I guess I just got sucked in with Britt and Alicia, but it's no excuse."

"Thanks Jake, I appreciate it." I really did too, but I was anxious to change the subject. "Hey, Billy's here with us. I'm surprised he didn't tell you we were coming?"

"Oh, my family and I aren't what you would call… speaking… these days. They're not too fond of my relationship with Britt."

"You and Britt are together? How is she these days?" Heck, if Jake could change, maybe Britt had turned it around too.

"We've been kinda on and off ever since high school. Mostly off. When she's not being a complete bitch, things are great. And I'm not gonna lie, the sex is amazing," (I tried to hide my look of disgust at hearing that). "But then she inevitably cheats on me, tells me what loser I am, and runs off with some other guy. And she eventually gets sick of him and comes running back and the cycle starts all over again."

I nodded. Same old Britt. I set a $20 bill on the bar and stood up. "Well Jake, it was good seeing you."

He pushed the bill back toward me. "Nah, this one's on me, buddy. You take care of Roni, okay? She's a sweet girl."

I smiled. "Thanks, Jake. I will."

As I walked back to the guys, I started to feel more relaxed. The alcohol was loosening me up just enough, and having old wounds somewhat healed helped too. When I took my place at the table next to Ryan, I didn't even notice Britt walking up to the bar.

"Britt, I'm working." Jake warned, not looking in her direction as she sat at the bar.

"C'mon baby, you know you can't resist me." She batted her eyelashes and leaned back, surveying the room. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Jake! It's that weird Castillo kid over there! The one with the slut of a sister! And he's with Ryan Rivera!"

"Yeah, so what? They're having a bachelor party. Miguel and Roni Tubbs are getting married next week. And leave them alone, Britt. You're almost 30! Can't you let the past go?"

"Have you forgotten how that little tease Roni rejected you to be with _him_? And how his trampy sister stole Ryan from Alicia?"

"What difference does it make? They've been together all these years, maybe it was meant to be. And Ali never stole Ryan from anyone. They didn't even start dating until three years _after_ he and Alicia broke up!"

"You believe that little tramp?" Britt looked in my direction. Stealthily, she pulled out her cell phone and snapped a few well-timed photographs, smiling evilly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Roni Tubbs**

As Ali did up the last button on my dress, I turned to face the mirror. I barely recognized myself! The long full skirt gleaned white and the beaded bodice sparkled in the light. I ran my hand over the sheer veil that cascaded over my head and shoulders. It sounds so corny, but I truly felt like a princess. In just one week I'd be walking down the aisle and making a sacred vow to my lifelong love.

I felt my mom's arm around me and from her voice, I could tell she was trying to hold back tears. "Oh baby, you look beautiful!" She turned and grasped the hand of Gina, her best friend and my future mother in law, who was grinning ear to ear.

"My son is such a lucky man, Roni!" Gina gently wiped a tear from her eye. "Trudy, when they were kids, who knew we'd be planning a wedding someday! Now we're officially going to be family." she remarked wistfully.

Ali grinned as she smoothed my veil. while the seamstress pinned up the hem. "Yeah, and there were times when we were kids where I thought you'd kill Miguel, not end up marrying him! Remember that time we had that sleepover he tried to scare us?"

I threw my head back and laughed. "'How could I forget?" That memory was special in my mind in ways nobody else knew about. Although it occurred years before our first kiss or even our first date, it sparked something special between Miguel and I. Although Ali was right, at the time I wanted to kill him! in the end though, it made me see him in a different way…

 _September 2000_

 _"Thanks so much for having Roni over tonight!" Mom said, hugging Aunt Gina and placing my sleeping bag and backpack on the floor._

 _"No problem, Trudy. You and Rico enjoy your anniversary! The girls will have a great time."_

 _"Hi Ali! What are we going to do tonight?" I asked my best friend excitedly asked as I came in the front door. At just eight years old, I'd normally be nervous about spending a night away from home, but the Castillos were so much like family, their house was like a second home. And Ali was the sister I never had._

 _Ali's eyes shone with built-up excitement. "Lots of stuff! Mom's getting us pizza, and we can play games, have makeovers, and…" she leaned in to whisper in her friend's ear, "We can even watch a scary movie later!"_

 _My eyes widened. "Really? Wow!" Secretly, I wasn't too sure about the whole scary movie thing. Those things gave me nightmares. But no way was I going to look like a baby in front of my best friend! I could always just hide my eyes in the scary parts or something. I turned toward the stairs and saw Ali's older brother. "Hi Miguel!"_

 _"Hey Roni! Ali, can I play a game with you guys?"_

 _Ali put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "No way, Miguel! This sleepover is for girls only!"_

 _"Aw, c'mom Ali, we can play Monopoly! You can be the top hat!"_

 _"No!"_

 _"Can I at least watch the movie with you?"_

 _"No way, you'll probably have nightmares and ruin it for all of us!" Ali turned back to me. "Miguel watched Friday the 13th at Eric's house last month and after that he slept in Mom and Dad's room for a week."_

 _"Shut up, Ali! I did not!"_

 _I tried not to giggle. Miguel often tried to be a protective, tough older brother but in reality he was sweet, kind and gentle. Still, I knew he was destined to be braver than he seemed._

 _"I said go away Miguel!" Ali stood firm._

 _"MOM!" Miguel called. "Ali said I can't play!" He turned to Ali with a look of satisfaction, as if to say 'now you're going to get it.'_

 _"Oh Miguel, let the girls have some time tonight," Gina shouted from the kitchen._

 _"But Mom! I'm BORED!" Miguel, Ali and I had been playmates since birth, the three of us did almost everything together and I guess he was a little hurt to be left out tonight._

 _Aunt Gina peeked her head out of the kitchen. "Miguel, when you have friends over I don't let Ali bug you. Dad will be home soon, maybe he'll play a game with you later. In the meantime, there's plenty of things for you to do, you can watch TV or read a book, or practice your violin…"_

 _"But…" Miguel began, but his mother gave him a warning look. "Oh, fine."_

 _Miguel flopped on the couch and sighed loud enough for Ali and I to hear. He turned on the TV and half watched Spongebob Squarepants while occasionally glancing at the dining room table where we were giggling and painting their nails. Normally Miguel would have chosen to go up to his room and read or play his violin, but I think he didn't want to give Ali the satisfaction of having him leave her completely alone._

 _A commercial for something Halloween related caught Miguel's eye. Next to Christmas, Halloween was his favorite holiday. Aunt Gina always helped him and Ali make great costumes and Uncle Marty enjoyed helping them carve pumpkins into interesting designs. Being in fifth grade, he had decided that this year he needed to wear a really scary costume, and an old werewolf mask given to him recently by his older cousin fit the bill perfectly. He couldn't wait to scare Ali with it! Suddenly, he had a great idea. If Ali was going to leave him out tonight, the least he could do was make her sleepover memorable! He stifled a laugh, he couldn't wait until it got dark and they started watching that scary movie!_

 _"Checkmate!" Miguel announced triumphantly._

 _"Good job, son! Your game has really improved!" Martin patted his son on the shoulder._

 _Miguel smiled proudly. He knew his father was not the type to let him win at games, so beating him at chess was a real accomplishment. "Thanks, Dad!"_

 _"You want to try one more?"_

 _Miguel was about to say yes, then out of the corner of his eye he saw Ali and I heading upstairs whispering and giggling. "Actually, Dad, I should practice my violin tonight."_

 _"Next time then, kiddo!"_

 _Miguel ran upstairs and into his room, closing the door behind him. He rifled through his messy closet. That werewolf mask had to be in there somewhere! It was so frightening looking that he had buried it under some toys and stuffed animals so that he wouldn't accidentally see it staring at him late at night._

 _"Ah ha!" he exclaimed holding it up._

 _It didn't fit well over his glasses, so finally he decided to not wear them. Miguel couldn't see well at all without his glasses, but Ali's room was just down the hall and he figured he could feel his way around well enough._

 _He opened the door to his bedroom and found the hallway completely dark. Downstairs he could make out a faint light and could hear his parents' voices in the kitchen. Ali's bedroom door was shut, but he couldn't see any light coming from under it, since we had her lights off as well. Perfect! On cat-like feet he tip-toed down the hall and slowly turned the doorknob, holding his breath and praying it wouldn't squeak. The room was dark except for the dim light from the TV, but he could barely make out the huddled figures of Ali and I sitting on the bed with our backs to him._

 _The movie was just getting really scary and I tried to squeeze my eyes shut._

 _It took every ounce of self control for Miguel not to laugh. He tiptoed closer and closer and then leapt in front of us. "Rawwwwrrr!" He yelled._

 _My eyes must have been as big as saucers and I shrieked at the top of my lungs, scurrying to hide in the corner._

 _Ali, on the other hand, threw herself at him, pinning him to the ground and hit him squarely in the nose. "Go away, you monster!" she screamed while I sobbed in the background._

 _"Help! Ali, STOP! It's me!" Miguel pleaded, struggling to remove his mask while Ali held him down. Fortunately the werewolf mask was thick enough to protect him from Ali's tiny fists._

 _"Miguel?" Ali finally sat back on her heels, completely surprised and out of breath._

 _"What the world is going on up here?" Uncle Martin demanded and he and Aunt Gina hurried into Ali's room._

 _"It's nothing!" Miguel insisted, getting to his feet._

 _"He… he scared us!" I stammered through my tears, pointing an accusing finger at Miguel. At that moment I was furious with him. How could he scare us half to death like that?_

 _"Yeah! And I'm not sorry for hitting him, he got what he deserved! He's so mean, Mom!" Ali added angrily._

 _"Miguel Christopher Castillo!" Boy, Miguel was in for it now. I always knew he was in big trouble when his mom used his middle name. "Didn't I tell you to leave the girls alone? You apologize right now!" Gina handed me a box of kleenex and put a comforting arm around me. Slowly I felt myself relax but I still continued to cry, partially because I wanted Miguel to see it and feel really, really guilty. Why did he have to be such a pain sometimes?_

 _Miguel looked down at his feet. "Sorry," he said meekly._

 _"Go to your room, young man. You'd better hope they don't have nightmares." Uncle Martin's voice was stern and he gave his son a disapproving stare._

 _Quietly, Miguel obeyed and went to his room. He shut the door behind himself and laid down on the bed. Years later, when we spoke of this incident again, he had admitted that he thought it would just give Ali a little scare, he certainly didn't mean to make me cry. He felt horrible. Slowly he closed his eyes and fell asleep._

 _It was about 2am when I woke up with a start, breathless from a nightmare of being chased by (What else? A werewolf, of course)._

 _Slowly my eyes adjusted to the low light and I saw Ali's sleeping form beside me. I gave her a gentle tap. "Ali? Ali? You awake?"_

 _Ali just snored loudly and rolled over._

 _Great. Now I was awake, scared, and alone in the dark! I felt tears fill my eyes as I suddenly wished I were safe at home. But the Castillos were practically my family, I could always just go tell Aunt Gina how scared I was. I got up and turned the doorknob to her and Uncle Marty's bedroom but stopped short of opening the door. Uncle Martin's words to Miguel echoed in my head: "You'd better hope they don't have nightmares." Miguel would just get in bigger trouble, and now that the initial shock had worn off, I really didn't want to see that._

 _Rubbing my eyes, I turned to the door next to me and opened it slowly. Miguel's room wasn't as dark as I had expected. In fact, there was a dim light on beside his bed where he sat reading a book. His dark brown eyes looked up at me from behind his glasses._

 _"Roni?"_

 _I groaned groggily and rubbed my eyes. "I- I had a bad dream." I stammered. "I was hoping someone was still awake." I sat down on the edge of his bed. The elderly family cat, Marmalade, who had been sleeping curled up at the foot of the bed, yawned and stretched._

 _Miguel nodded and avoided eye contact. He reached over and scratched Marmalade behind the ears. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep either." He paused for a moment, then looked over at me sheepishly. "Roni, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you so badly."_

 _"It's not all your fault, I know you didn't mean it. Can you keep a secret?"_

 _Miguel nodded and leaned in close._

 _"I actually hate horror movies but I was too embarrassed to tell Ali."_

 _He blushed a bit, then scooted over to sit beside me. "Same here. That story Ali told you earlier?About me being freaked out after sleeping at Eric's place? Yeah, it's all true. But you shouldn't be afraid to tell Ali the truth, she's your best friend! Besides, she always covers her eyes whenever the flying monkeys come on in 'The Wizard of Oz.'"_

 _I giggled._

 _"Hey, you wanna go downstairs and watch a movie? I know exactly the right volume level to keep it on so that Mom and Dad don't wake up. Nothing scary, I promise."_

 _I brightened a bit. "That'd be great!"_

Miguel and I laughed about that night many times after that, although knowing him, he still feels bad about scaring me. But sitting side by side that night made me feel safe and secure with him. A feeling that has never changed even as our relationship did.

Two days later, I was back at the office for my last few days at work. I was overwhelmed and stressed with the number of reports I had to finish before the wedding and honeymoon, but still, I found myself daydreaming constantly. I missed Miguel terribly, and was counting the hours until we could enjoy a relaxing honeymoon week on the beach in Cuba, sipping drinks, splashing in the water, sleeping in…

"Roni? Hello? Earth to Veronica!" Ali leaned over her desk to wave a hand in front of me.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about this case…"

She smirked. "Yeah right. I think you were thinking about lying in the sand, sipping Pina coladas with my brother."

"You know me too well!"

She pointed to her watch. "I'm heading out. You wanna have dinner tonight?"

I sighed and opened my mouth to respond, but Billy Crocket dropped a stack of files on my desk. "She's got a million reports to finish! No time for relaxation now!"

Ali shook her head. "Aw, Billy, cut the girl some slack. She's marrying my brother this weekend!"

Billy put his hands up. "Don't blame me! That's not my fault!"

I stifled a laugh. Billy still saw Miguel as the younger "cousin" he loved to tease.

Ali rolled her eyes and handed me my purse. "C'mon. Don't listen to Billy. He's never had to plan a wedding. You need to relax, pal!"

Billy sighed, but I saw a small smile creep across his face. "Oh alright, but those reports had better be on my desk by noon tomorrow, detective Tubbs!"

"You got it, Lieutenant Crockett!" I grinned. "Okay,Ali, wherever we go, they'd better have drinks! I could use one of those Pina coladas right now!"

She laughed and put an arm around me as we headed for the elevators. In the lobby, she stopped in her tracks, which startled me a bit.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in," Ali said in the direction of the figure of a strangely familiar tall woman with her back to us. The woman spun around. Now I recognized her, it was Britt Wheeler, Ali's high school nemesis. I hadn't seen her in several years but she still had that sour, just-sucked-on-a-lemon expression on her face. She looked the same, but her face a bit older. Maybe her evil ways had aged her.

"Britt? Britt Wheeler? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Yeah," Ali added, "Funny, I didn't notice your broomstick in the parking lot?"

Britt tossed her chestnut brown hair over her shoulder and looked down at me condescendingly. Suddenly I felt like I was back in high school all over again. "I'm just here doing a public service," She spat snootily and turned to me, her expression dripping with fake sympathy. "I just wanted to tell the bride-to-be that her loving fiance is cheating on her!"

Ali's eyes filled with rage. "How dare you come around here telling your vicious lies about my brother? Don't you have anything better to do?"

Britt narrowed her eyes angrily at Ali. "I'm just trying to save your friend, you pint-sized freak!" She held up a photo on her cell phone. "I have proof!"

I tried to hold back laughter, but failed miserably when Ali began laughing until tears ran down her cheeks. "That- that's your proof?"

"What more do you need than a picture of a half naked woman sitting on Miguel's lap?" Britt screeched in frustration.

I crossed my arms and met Britt's eyes with mine. "That is a picture from his bachelor party." I pointed to the photo. "If he were cheating, why the hell would he do it with Ryan Rivera, Billy Crockett, and all his other friends int he background watching?"

Ali chimed in. "Yeah Britt, I really thought your Photoshop skills would have improved. You're really getting lazy!"

I could practically see steam coming from Britt's ears as she shoved her phone back in her purse. "You'll be sorry, Veronica Tubbs! You'll regret it when you're knocked up with his spawn and he's running around town with every tramp in Miami!" Angrily, she stomped away, slamming the door behind her.

Ali put an arm around me. "Don't let her get to you. Now let's get outta here, I'm starvin'!"

"Me too, after that I might need two of those Pina coladas!"

Although Britt's accusations were laughable, it seemed we'd never truly escape our past. Sometimes, part of me wished we could move far away and leave it all behind. But then again, this was home, for better or worse. I couldn't picture my life anywhere but in Miami.


	5. Chapter 5

Morning dawned bright and beautiful. I slowly opened my eyes. Miguel and Roni's wedding day! It was finally here!

The house was a flurry of activity. The hairdresser arrived to do hair for my mother and I, Mom nervously ran a steamer to get the last of the wrinkles from her dress, Dad was scrambling to set out food and drinks for family that would be stopping by before heading to the church.

As for me, I put on my maid of honor dress and stood before the fun length mirror in my old bedroom. I smiled, proud of the girl I saw on the other side of the mirror. The scars were there, if you knew where to look, but they only made me stronger in the end. It was hard to believe that in just six months I'd be walking down the aisle myself! Now that I was ready, there was just one important person missing, and one person I wanted to have a moment alone with before the real craziness of the day began.

I tapped on Miguel's door.

"Come in!"

I opened the door and drew in my breath. "Wow Miggy, you clean up nicely!" And it was true. My brother looked very handsome in his classic black tuxedo and his hair neatly combed. He smiled and happiness shone in his eyes.

"Thanks sis, you too." He fumbled at his lapel, trying to pin on his orchid boutonnière. "Hey, Ali, give me a hand with this will ya?"

I smiled and pinned it on. I looked around his room and memories flooded back to me "Hey, remember that tropical storm when I was six? We were both so scared, but we stayed in here all night telling each other stories and singing songs to distract ourselves?"

He laughed. "How could I forget? What about that time Izzy gave us that cat and we tried to hide it from Mom and Dad in my closet?"

I giggled. "Muffin! He was such a good cat. And remember those tea parties Roni and I used to make you have with us? And she always wanted you to dress up as the handsome prince?"

"I remember! And just think, now I really am her handsome prince!"

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Don't flatter yourself, big brother." I paused and sat on the bed and Miguel sat beside me. "I can't believe you're going to be married after today," I remarked wistfully. "Sometimes I miss those innocent days, before everything changed."

He put an arm around me and I leaned into his shoulder.

"I do too, Ali. But there are good things ahead. Before you know it, you'll be walking down the aisle with Ryan. Everything's coming together. hey, remember that time we cut school together?"

"Oh no! Miguel, I think we should make a pact right now to never tell our kids about that!"

September 2006

 _"Hey, watch it Ali!" Miguel grumbled when I accidentally bumped into him coming out of the bathroom._

 _"Watch it yourself, big brother." As usual, I was still in my pajamas, not showered and nowhere near ready to go. My brother was always popping out of bed like a jack in the box as soon as his alarm went off, and ready to go long before the first bell. He hated being late. As for me, I took a more relaxed approach to mornings. I don't know how he functioned, so stressed out and orderly all the time. It was just one of the many, many ways we were different._

 _He ran downstairs and helped himself to a glass of orange juice and a bowl of cereal. "Good morning sweetie," Mom greeted him, kissing the top of his head._

 _"Morning, Mom."_

 _Dad came downstairs, kissed Mom, and patted my brother on the shoulder. "Good morning Miguel. Busy day today?"_

 _Miguel shook his head. "Not too bad. I have a calculus test tomorrow though."_

 _Dad smiled at his son. "Well, not to worry. I know you've been studying, and you've always been good at math."_

 _"Where is your sister? Alison! Hurry up!" Mom shouted up the stairwell impatiently. "Miguel, I'm afraid you'll have to make sure Ali gets out the door on time. Dad and I have to leave now for an early meeting."_

 _He sighed. "Alright, Mom. But she'd better be ready soon."_

 _Mom smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Have a good day, Miguelito. We'll see you later tonight." They hurried out the door and soon he could hear the car crunch down the gravel driveway._

 _"Ali! Come on! We gotta go!"_

 _"Alright! I'm ready. You're so impatient!" I dashed down the stairs and appeared in front of him, grabbing a banana from the bowl on the counter. "Wait, where are Mom and Dad?"_

 _"Left already… they had a meeting this morning," he explained through a mouthful of cereal. Miguel then picked up his cereal bowl and slurped up the remaining milk while I looked on in disgust._

 _"That is so gross. If you ever want to get a date you might want to reevaluate your eating habits."_

 _"How else am I supposed to eat it?"_

 _I looked mischievously thoughtful for a minute, then finally spoke. A great idea just popped in my mind. "Hey, you know what we should do?"_

 _"What, use a straw?"_

 _I rolled my eyes. "No, dummy. I'm not talking about your stupid cereal, I'm talking about us." I lowered my voice, "We should skip school!"_

 _Miguel's mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. "What? Are you kidding? No way, I have a perfect attendance record. You want me to blow that?"_

 _That was the problem with Miguel. He was always so focused on doing everything just right, he never had any fun. "Oh come on, you honestly think Harvard is going to pass you up because you miss one day of school your junior year? Stop being such a nerd all the time, live a little!"_

 _Miguel stood up to bring his dishes to the sink. "It's a stupid idea, Ali. As soon as our first period teachers take role, the school will realize we're not there and then do you know what will happen? They'll call Mom and Dad at work and we will be dead! Actually just me because there's no way Dad will believe that his perfect little princess hatched this plot."_

 _"I already thought that part through, genius. You can make your voice sound like Dad's on the phone, call the school and tell them we're sick! Then we're home free!" She looked at Miguel with pleading eyes. "Come on, it'll be the best brother/sister day ever! We never do anything together anymore!"_

 _Miguel stared at me for nearly a minute before sighing deeply. "Oh alright. But if we get caught, I'm putting all the blame on you, Ali! Give me the phone."_

 _"Yes!" I jumped up and squeezed him in a big hug. I reached over to the counter and grabbed the cordless phone, and dialed the school's number that was posted beside the phone. "Here ya go!" I cheerfully handed my brother the phone, who took it carefully, looking as though it might bite him._

 _He held the phone to his ear and cleared his throat. "Yes, this is Martin Castillo. I'm calling to report that my children, Alison and Miguel Castillo will be absent today… yes, very sick... they've been, um, throwing up all night. And, um, they have pinkeye." He glanced over at me and I made a disgusted face. "Yes, it is pretty disgusting. Thank you, Have a nice day." Carefully he hung up the phone._

 _"Throwing up? Pinkeye? Don't you think that's a bit of overkill?"_

 _"I couldn't think of anything else! All I could think of was that time I got sick back in second grade. Remember that?"_

 _I laughed until my eyes watered. "Yeah, I don't think Britt Wheeler's forgotten about that time either. She was bragging nonstop about her fancy, expensive new shoes until you threw up all over them in the middle of the lunchroom!"_

 _"Believe me, she sure has not forgotten that." Miguel muttered._

 _"Well, on the positive side, you do sound just like Dad on the phone!"_

 _He smiled back. "Really? I can totally do that crazy stare he does too… watch!"_

 _"Don't push it, Miguel. Alright, the first thing we have to do is get out of here."_

 _My brother was surprised. "Why? I was kind of looking forward to a day of taking naps and watching trashy daytime TV!"_

 _"No way! Look outside, Mrs. Harris is in her front yard. If she doesn't see us leave or thinks we're hanging around the house, she'll call Mom and then we're in for it." I pointed out the kitchen window where our nosey elderly neighbor was watering her yard, pausing occasionally to try to get a glimpse through our window._

 _"Ugh, Mrs. Harris." Miguel groaned. "She's always calls me 'Marco' and accuses me of playing loud heavy metal music."_

 _I laughed, trying to picture that in my mind. "You playing heavy metal? She really is crazy! Alright, lets get our backpacks and head out. We can go to the beach or something."_

 _Miguel slung his backpack over his shoulder while I opened the front door. He took a deep breath and was probably feeling slightly rebellious for going through with my plan. In fact, this was probably the most rebellious thing he had ever done._

 _"Good morning, Mrs. Harris!" We chorused, smiling and waving at our neighbor, who looked up and frowned._

 _"Marco! Was that you I heard playing that heavy metal music yesterday?"_

 _Miguel continued to smile politely. "I don't think it was me, Mrs. Harris. I play classical violin. And my name is actually…"_

 _Mrs. Harris cut him off and waved her cane in his direction. "You teenagers and your rowdy music full of filth and obscenities! All that racket is causing my petunias to wilt! You'd better quit playing those drums, Marco, or I'm going to have a word with your parents!"_

 _He opened his mouth to protest further, but I quickly stopped him and gave him a push to continue toward the sidewalk. "Don't worry, my brother will have his band practice elsewhere, won't you, Marco? Have a nice day, Mrs. Harris! We wouldn't want to be late for class!"_

 _"'l'll have her know that I play first violin in the school orchestra! How can she confuse Bach and Beethoven with heavy metal? There is no way…"_

 _I interrupted him again. "Don't listen to Mrs. Harris, she also thinks her cat is Richard Nixon reincarnated. Come on, Miguel! No more talk about your nerdy accomplishments. I'm determined to see you have some fun today!"_

 _Miguel sighed, a bit defeated. "If you say so."_

 _Our first stop was a sketchy looking arcade, which Miguel was hesitant about at first. I practically had to pull him in! Where did he think we were going to hang out, the library? But after beating me at ten rounds of Street Fighter, I practically had to drag him away._

 _The next stop was the beach, which as usual was crowded with tourists. I guess we did stand out a bit in our school clothes, but still managed to try to blend in._

 _Immediately, I spied found a cart and bought a hot dog with extra mustard. "Mmmm…delicious!" I exclaimed taking a bite. "Want one, Miguel?"_

 _He made a face. "Alison, if you knew what was really in that, you'd never eat one again!"_

 _I rolled her eyes. Miguel always wanted to eat healthy except at breakfast when he slurped down some neon-colored sugar-laden cereal. "I swear, you sound just like Roni!" I remarked, putting on my sunglasses and laying back in the sand with my head resting on my backpack. Miguel sat beside me._

 _"You know I hate the beach, Ali."_

 _"Stop complaining! How can you live in Miami and hate the beach? It should be against the law! Plus, you loved it when we were kids! Remember how we used to bury each other in the sand?"_

 _"I guess I like the idea of the beach, just not going home and finding sand in places I didn't know I had."_

 _I made a disgusted face at the image. "Well you can scrape the sand out later, we're here and we're going to relax."_

 _"I don't know if I remember how to relax."_

 _"That's your problem! You take yourself way too seriously. You're 16! Live it up!"_

 _He shook his head. "I'm not really a 'live it up' kind of guy."_

 _"Miguel, look at it this way. In 5 years you'll be finishing college, and in 10 years you'll probably be some big successful lawyer, getting married, having kids… What other time will you really be able to enjoy yourself?"_

 _Miguel smiled. "Well, I'm here aren't I? Baby steps Ali."_

 _There was a long pause between us and finally Ali spoke up. "I can't believe in less that two years you'll be away at college."_

 _"Yeah, I bet you can't wait. What, are you going to turn my room into your yoga room?"_

 _I laughed. "Maybe! Seriously though, I'm going to miss you. Just maybe not the smell of your dirty laundry, your underwear on the bathroom floor, or seeing you drink orange juice from the carton."_

 _He gave me a smile. "Thanks. I might even miss you too."_

 _"You're so lucky, you know? You've got everything figured out. You're graduating after next year, and everyone knows you've got valedictorian in the bag. And then you're off to some fancy college, and then law school…" my voice trailed off. "I wish I knew where I was going."_

 _"Ali, you've got 4 years to decide! You're smart, you get good grades, you'll figure it out. And what's more, you're popular! Half the guys in school would give anything to date you. Sometimes I wish I had that."_

 _"You want half the guys in school to date you?"_

 _He rolled his eyes. "No, but I wouldn't mind being more than nerdy Miguel." He looked away out towards the water. "Sometimes I wish I had something to hold on a Friday night other than my violin, you know? But the girls at our school don't see me as boyfriend material, I guess. Take Britt Wheeler… last year she turned me down for homecoming and prom… and I didn't even ask her to either one!"_

 _I snickered. "Britt Wheeler… believe me Miguel, you don't want anything to do with a slut like that. I bet she has every disease in the book. The dumb girls at our school might not appreciate you, and don't tell anyone I said this, but you're a catch! Your sweet and smart and funny… believe me, in college you'll have girls all over you."_

 _Miguel's eyes brightened and he smiled. "Thanks, Ali. You're not so bad for an annoying little sister."_

 _I shoved him playfully on the shoulder. "And you're not too bad for a nerdy big brother." I smiled mysteriously, wondering if I should even say what I really wanted to. "Besides, I know someone who would love to go out with you. She's had a crush on you for years, not that you would notice."_

 _Miguel was puzzled. "What? Really? Who?"_

 _I made a motion like she was zipping my lips. "Sorry! I've been sworn to secrecy."_

 _"Oh come on!"_

 _"Nope, if there's one person who can keep a secret it's Alison Castillo"_

 _Miguel rolled his eyes. "Oh really? Is that why you were so quick to tell Veronica that I still sleep with a stuffed Snoopy?"_

 _I gave him a smirk and winked at him. "Don't worry, she thought it was really cute. In fact… despite your milk-slurping tendencies, she actually thinks you're not so terrible."_

 _He tilted his head in confusion for a moment, then his eyes widened. "Wait, you mean?" Miguel had been friends with Veronica his whole life, and had never thought of her in that way before. But now he imagined her sparkling hazel eyes and radiant smile and it made him feel… something._

 _"Hey, Earth to Romeo! Wipe that goofy grin off your face! Don't you dare say anything to her!"_

 _"Well, well, look what we have here!" bellowed a voice from behind us, startling us both. "If it isn't Thing One and Thing Two!"_

 _"Oh crap…" Miguel mumbled under his breath, his eyes wide and his face bright red._

 _We were busted._

 _I gasped, but tried to remain casual. "Oh, hey Uncle Stan. What are you doing here?" I asked sweetly._

 _"I could ask you two the same thing! Last I checked Wednesday is a school day."_

 _I put on my best smile and put my arm around Miguel. Maybe I could sweet-talk Uncle Stan. "Oh, we were just spending some quality family time together. Weren't we, big brother?"_

 _Miguel looked like a deer caught in the headlights and just stared at Stan. "Um, yeah, right…"_

 _"Well, I'm sure your parents will be so excited to hear all about that! Get in the Bug Van, kids."_

 _The ride to OCB was quiet and embarrassing. "My father is going to kill me!" Miguel fretted._

 _Poor Miguel, he was always afraid of disappointing Dad. I was too, but I knew it was always temporary so I didn't let it get to me too much. "Can I have your room?" I joked._

 _"Shut up Ali, I'm serious!"_

 _"Now calm down you two. You might not know this, but you're not the first ones to take an unauthorized day off."_

 _"Did you skip school once Uncle Stan?" I asked curiously._

 _"Yeah, but even worse I skipped work! I went on this horrible game show, but told your dad Uncle Larry and I were sick. We were busted when Uncle Sonny and Rico saw us on TV. The next day I tried to come up with an excuse and was running it by your mom but turns out your dad was standing right behind me."_

 _"That must have been pretty embarrassing," I remarked._

 _"It was, and it would have been one thing if he had yelled at us. He just stared me down and acted very disappointed. I would have much rather been yelled at."_

 _"Tell me about it," Miguel mumbled. Miguel knew all about that stare, and both of us had been on the receiving end of it more than once._

 _Stan threw open the door to OCB with Miguel and I trailing sheepishly behind. Mom was sitting at her desk thumbing through a file. "Look what I found, Gina!" Stan announced._

 _Mom looked up. "Ali! Miguel! Why aren't you two in school?"_

 _We exchanged a nervous glance. Thinking fast, I put my arm around my brother. "Miguel wasn't feeling well, I though he needed a little fresh air today. Doesn't he look pale to you, Mom?" Miguel just stared at Mom with the same deer in the headlights look he had given Stan._

 _Billy laughed out loud from his desk and Mom quickly shot him a look. She turned back to us, sighed and rubbed her temples like she always did when one of us was in trouble. "Both of you, go in your father's office and wait for me there. I have to be in an interrogation down the hall in a few minutes. Dad and I will be in after that. Billy, keep an eye on them please." Mom walked out in a huff._

 _"Uh oh, the Wonder Twins are in trouble! I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when your father gets here." Billy whispered as he escorted us into Dad's office. I bet he felt a bit resentful getting stuck babysitting the boss' kids._

 _Scowling, Miguel sat on the couch with his arms crossed while I took a seat on the other side of the room. Billy perched on the edge of Dad's desk, surveying the room like a referee._

 _"Come on big brother, it won't be so bad!"_

 _"Billy, can you please inform my sister that I am not speaking to her?"_

 _Billy turned to me with a hint of amusement in his eye. "He says he's not speaking to you."_

 _"Oh yeah? Please tell my brother that getting in trouble one time won't kill him. He doesn't have to be so annoyingly perfect all the time."_

 _"Well tell her that's easy for her to say. All she has to do is cry and dad will feel sorry for her."_

 _"Billy, remind Miguel about the time last week when he cried while watching a National Geographic documentary about penguins! Dad sure felt sorry for him then."_

 _"You shut up, Ali!"_

 _"Ha! Looks like you're speaking to me again!"_

 _"Alright, enough!" Billy hopped down from Dad's desk and stood between us. "You two are ridiculous! Now I know your parents, they're fair people. I'm sure you'll both be punished equally."_

 _"Which is unfortunate because it was all her idea!" Miguel protested._

 _Billy shook his head. "Miguel, you're one of the smartest guys I know, if not the smartest. You still chose to go with Ali, right?"_

 _Miguel sighed and looked over toward the glass block window. "Yeah."_

 _"So now you both need to pay the price."_

 _We were pretty silent on the way home. In the front seat of the car, Mom looked like she should have steam coming out of her ears and Dad managed to glare at us both periodically through the rear view mirror._

 _Finally, Mom spoke. "I have never been so disappointed in you both. For the next month you are grounded and you can use your spare time on weekends to clean out the garage."_

 _I leaned over and whispered to Miguel. "Now would be a good time to cry."_

 _"Shut it, Ali," he whispered._

 _"Just think about the baby penguin in that show!"_

 _"I said shut up!"_

 _"Do you have something to add, Miguel?" Dad snapped._

 _"No, Dad." Miguel sank into his seat and crossed his arms, giving me a dirty look._

 _Late that night, Miguel was laying on his bed staring at the ceiling, drifting in and out of sleep, when he saw me peeking in through the door. "You awake, big brother?" I asked, my voice unusually timid._

 _"I am now," he grumbled sitting up._

 _I on the edge of his bed. "Hey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into trouble."_

 _Miguel sighed. "No, don't be. I made my own choice." He paused a moment and smiled. "Besides, I actually had fun while it lasted.""_

 _"Really?" I grinned back at him. "So was it worth it?"_

 _"Hmmm… I'll have to get back to you after I spend the next four weekends cleaning out the garage.'_

 _"Agreed! And hey, next month you owe me a Street Fighter rematch! That is, if you have time between rehearsals and studying and student government meetings..."_

 _"I can always find time for my pesky little sister." He put an arm around me and hugged me._

That day seemed like just yesterday, but we couldn't have imagined how our lives would change. Here we were, preparing for Miguel to marry my best friend, and I would be having my own wedding in a few short months. But one thing would never change, we could always count on one another when times got rough.


End file.
